Latch.



L. O. CAMPBELL. LATGH.

PATENTED MAY '30, 1905.

1 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1904.

f .v a 0 pl I3 UNITED STATES LPatented May as, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SIXTl-IS TO ALFRED O. PITCHER AND PLEASANT, IOWA.

GEESEKA, OF MOUNT ONE-SIXTH TO OTTO A.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,317,

Application filed June 18,

dated May 30, 1905 1904. Serial No. 213,103.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS O. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States,'residing atCarthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Door-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

It is almost the universal custom to operate door latches by means of knobs that are IO grasped and turned by the person desiring to open the door. The restoring of the parts that are thus turned to normal positions is usually accomplished in one of two ways, either by means of springs, and this is the 5 more common expedient, or by means of weighted or ponderous parts mounted within the latch-casing. There are certain objections incident to each of these styles of door-latch. The spring operated latch is delicate, the

springs being liable to become broken or misplaced, and so rendering the latch inoperative. The gravity operated latch, while of more simple construction, isundesirablyheavy by reason of the necessary employment of weights 5 or ponderous parts for efl'ecting not only the restoring of the latch to its normal position, but also the turning back of the knobs and connected parts to their normal positions.

It is the object of my invention to produce 3 a simple gravity-latch comprising the usual turning-knobs in which the employment of ponderous parts for restoring the latch mechanism to normal position is entirely unnecessarythat is to say,

tion I produce a gravity-latch in which the parts employed need be no heavier than corresponding parts of an ordinary spring-operated latch.

My invention is illustrated in the accompa- 4 nying drawings, thoughI do not wish to be understood as limiting the same in its useful applications to the embodiments thereof delineated in such drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a door-latch embodying my invention, one of the side walls of the casing being removed. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that parts are shown by the use of my inven-.

in a differentposition. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is an edge view of a portion of a door to which my invention is applied in the form of a mortise combined latch and lock. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is an elevation representing a different embodiment of my invention.

The parts of my latch are mounted in a casing having ing flange 3. In the lower part of the casing may be arrangedalock 4, of any usual or preferred construction; but as it forms no part of my invention it is not illustrated in detail. The door-knobs 5are mounted upon a stem or spindle 6 and are free to turn in the casing to operate the latch. This spindle passes through a hub or sleeve 7 that is mounted in the casing and is provided with a cam-shaped part 8, the lower face of which is flat and rests upon a shelf or flange 9, projecting inward from one of the side walls of the casing, being preferably cast integral therewith.

The upper face of the cam 8 is flat throughout a portion of its length, and upon it rests the latch-operating lever 10, that is pivoted at 11 and has with the latch-piece 12. If desired, a piece of rubber or noise-deadening material 15 may be inserted in the end of the lever where it comes into engagement with the latch to prevent the unpleasant clicking sound that would,

otherwise be producedwhen these metal parts come together. The weight of the lever 10 maintains it in constant engagement with the upper portion of the cam 8. It is entirely freefrom the latch-piece 12, though in position to engage the inner end thereof when lifted by the cam, as indicated in Fig. 2. The latchpiece is supported upon a fulcrum-pin 20 in such manner that its inner end overbalances its other end and tends to throw the latter outward through the opening 13 in the flange 3 of the casing and into position to engage with the keeper of the latch, from which it is withdrawn when the lever 10 is lifted into engagement with its inner end.

the side walls 2 and the surroundits free end arranged to engage In the form of my invention illustrated in a size and weight no greater than those oi cor Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the latch-piece 12 is doubleresponding partsin spring-operated latches of 6 ended and reversible. It is substantially L- ordinary construction. I thus secure the adshaped and has its two ends 18 beveled and 1S vantage of both gravity-operated and spring- 5 provided with two apertures 19 one relatively operated latches, the lightness of parts incinear each beveled end portion 1 ape1- dent to the spring-latch, and the simplicity of tures are adapted to fit the fulcrum-pin 20, construction of the gravity-latch, all these 70 upon which the latch is hung. In Fig. l the advantages being secured in a latch operated latch-piece is represented as being arranged by turning movements of the ordinary knobs.

IQ for a left-hand door. If it should be desired 16 designates a pivoted lock or dog that conto apply the latch to a right-hand door, it is stitutes the night-latch to prevent the maniponly necessary to remove the latch-piece from ulation of the latch-piece 12 by means of the 75 its supporting-pin, reverse or turn it over, oor-knobs. t may be pivoted to any suitand pass the pin through the other hole 19 able stationary support and is arranged to T5 from the one with which it is represented as engage with the spindle 6. In Fig. 5 it is being engaged with, Fig. 1. his reversal of shown pivoted to the escutcheon .17, secured the latch-piece does not change its operative to tie face of the door and surrounding the So relations to the lever 10. spindle. In case a rim-lock were employed, In Fig. 6 I have illustrated adiiferent form it would be pivoted directly to some part of 20 of latch-piece, which while being reversible the casing thereof.

is not double-ended. The latch herein shown frequent cause of injury to door-latches is designated 12 and is provided with but one is the violent contact of the latch-piece with 8 5 beveled end 18' and a single aperture 19. the keeper when the door is slammed, and To reverse the latch, it is only necessary to one of the purposes of myinvention is to preremove it from its pin, turn it over, and revent such injury to the latch. Ieombine with place it. the latch-piece means for normally holding 14 14 designate the openings in the side the same retracted or within the casing, per- 0 -walls of the casing, in which the ends of the mittingit to be released to engage the keeper hub 7 rest. These are larger than the ends of only when the door is closed and the latch- 0 the hub, expandin upwaid to allow for movepiece stands opposite to the opening into the keeper. As represented in the drawings, the latch-piece 12 or 12 is provided with a pro- 95 jection or spur 21.

22 designates a latch-lever pivoted at 23 to some portion of the casing. It is of angular shape, having an outer end 24 weighted and arranged to extend out beyond the edge of 100 the door to which the latch is applied, so as to engage with the rabbet of the jamb oi the oor-casing as the door is closed, such engagement operating to tilt the lever and force the end 24 back into the recess 26, in which 105 it is situated. The other inner end 25 of the lever is arranged adjacent to the projection 21 of the latch-piece and so as to be moved out of or into engagement therewith. lVhen the lever is in normal position-that is, with its I1 outer end 24 extending beyond the face of the door-the inner end 25 is situated in the path of this projection, whereas when the lever is moved inward, as by engagement with the door-jamb, it stands out of or to one side of I 5 the path of the projection. In Figs. 2 and 4 the positions normally occupied by the parts when the door is opened are represented, the latch being held retracted by the lever 22, while Figs. 1 and 3 indicate the positions of I20 back to normal positions, thus rendering it I the parts when the door is closed and latched,

' the lever 22 being forced back into the recess It Wlll be apparent from an examination of Figs. 1 and 2 that whenever the spindle 6 on 5 which the knobs are mounted is turned, no

lever 10 will b 40 drawn from its keeper or into the casing. At

the same time both the knobs, their connecting-spindle, and the hub 7 will be bodilylifted, the enlarged apertures 14 permitting this. If new the hand that turned the knob be removed,

the shelf 9and at the same time the spindle and knobs will be turned back to their normal positions of rest. Following these movements the lever 10 and latch 12 will be reoperated by a turning of the knobs in the derous bodies distinct from the turning parts and disposed within the latch-casing for proucing these returningmovemcnts, all of which operations I accomplish by means of parts of ever it is turned and the other to cause the like movement as. it

ever, that these two functions may be performed by separate parts, the integral construction of the cam-piece being one of convenience and not of necessity. Indeed, the cam-piece may be considered either as an in-' tegral structure or as two functional elements in close proximity, one element bearing upon the stationary support 9 and serving to lift the spindle and then restore it to normal position, while the other element serves to trans' mit the ,movementsof the spindle to the lever 10.

Having claim is 1. A door-latch comprising a turning door knob, a movable latch-piece and connections between the turning knob and the latch-piece, whereby the turning of the knob moves the latch, and means for lifting the knob when it is turned and restoring it to normal position by its own gravity when it is released, substantially as set forth.

2. In a door-latch, the combination of a knob free to be turned in either direction, a latchpiece, connections between the knob and the latch-piece for moving the latter whenever the knob is turned in either direction, and means for lifting the knob when it is turned and restoring it to normal position by its own gravity when it is released, substantially as set forth.

3. In a door-latch, the combination of a doorknob mounted upon a turning spindle, a latchpiece, connections between the spindle and the latch-piece for operating the latter when the spindle is turned, and a cam-shaped piece connected with the spindle bearing upon a'support and arranged to lift the knob and spin dle when they are turned and restore them to normal positions by gravity when they are released, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a door-latch, the combination of a turn' ing spindle and knobs mounted thereupon, a cam-shaped piece mounted upon the spindle and turning therewith, a stationary support upon which the cam rests, whereby when the spindle is turned it is bodily lifted, a latchpiece, and a lever resting upon the said campiece and arranged to be moved thereby and in turn to move the latch-piece, substantially as set forth.

5. In adoor-latch, the combination of are versible pivoted latch-piece having its opposite ends beveled both on the same side, and formed with two eccentrically-disposed pivotholes, a fixed pivot-pin on which the latch-piece is hung in one or the other of two positions accordingly as it passes through one or the other of the said holes, a turning knob and spindle, connections between the spindle and the latch-piece for operating the latter when the former is turned, a catch-piece for bolding the latch, and twoprojections carried by the keeper into'the casing. While the parts are held in these positions the door will beswung on its hinges, and as soon as its free edge leaves the door-jamb the weighted outer end 24 of the lever falls forward and its inner end moves behind the'projection 21, where it rests. When the hand is removed from the knob, the parts, with the exception of the latch, return by gravity to their normal positions. The latch-piece, however, is held retracted by the lever 22 until the end 2 L of the latter is moved inward, which ordinarily will not take place until the door is closed. By this arrangement it will be seen that if the door should be violently slammed the latchpiece will be saved from the severe shock that it would .be otherwise subjected to. On the other hand, the latch would be released the moment the door is'closed, and being free will immediately enter the keeper and hold the door closed.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that the latch-piece is double-ended and of substantially right-angular shape and that the opposite ends are both beveled on the same side, as indicated at 18, and that it is provided with two pivot-apertures 19, such apertures being eccentric and one in each arm of the latch-piece. This makes the latch-piece reversible, as by changing its support from one pivot-aperture 19 to the other the latch may be adapted for either a right-hand or a left-hand door. By providing the latch-piece with two projections 21 the catch-lever 22 may be used in connection therewith whichever. way the latch-piece is turned. By supporting the catch 22 so that it moves in vertical planes transverse to the vertical planes in which the latch-piece moves I am enabled to make the parts of exceedingly simple construction and to arrange them in the most compact manner.

The form of latch-piece illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3t hat is, one of substantially right angle lever construction-is particularly adapted for use in a gravity-latch, because it is very quick in its response to the action of gravity and because also the force required to move the free latching end into the casing by the engagement of its bevel surface with the edge of the keeper is very slight. These advantageous results are due to the angular relations of the arms to each other and to'the supporting of the latch-piece in such manner that its outer latching end depends from the pivot 20 and has a pendulummoves into and out from the casing of the latch.

I have illustrated and described the campiece 8 as being of a construction to perform two functions, one being to cause the lifting of the spindle 6 and its associated parts whendescribed my invention, what I movements of the lever 10. It is evident, howthe latch-piece disposed with relation to the projection is in position to be engaged by the pivot-holes, substantially as shown, whereby catch-piece when the latch is withdrawn, sub- 10 when the atch-piece is supported in one postantially as set forth.

'SltlOIl (the pivot passing through one hole) one of the pro ections is in position to be engaged LEVVlb QAMI BILLL by the catch-piece when the latch is withdrawn, Witnesses:

and when supported in the other position (the J. S. BARKER,

pivot passing through the other hole) the other GEO. B. PITTs. 

